BURBANK, Calif. — Walt Disney Co. said Wednesday it has nominated Sheryl Sandberg, chief operating officer for the popular social networking site Facebook, to serve on its board of directors.

Sandberg, 40, has served as Facebook’s COO since March 2008.

Before that, she was a vice president at Google Inc., where she managed global advertising sales. Sandberg is also a former chief of staff for the U.S. Treasury Department, and has been a management consultant with McKinsey & Co. and a World Bank economist. She serves as a director for Starbucks Corp.

Sandberg “brings great expertise in the online world, considerable international experience and a deep understanding of consumer behavior,” said John E. Pepper Jr., Disney’s chairman, in a statement.